JEFFERSON, La. - A Louisiana school board has approved a desegregation plan despite opposition from many parents.

The board in Jefferson Parish adopted the plan Wednesday night, The New Orleans Times-Picayune reported. It attempts to address racial inequalities by redrawing lines for school catchment areas, limiting student transfers and taking steps to distribute the most qualified teachers around the district.

The vote came a day after a packed public hearing dominated by parents who wanted the plan scrapped. It must still be approved by a federal judge.

Students in the fourth grade will be allowed to finish elementary school in their current schools, as will those in the 10th and 11th grades of high school.